


Priest

by SkyrimWriter2060 (CatandKaraForever)



Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Mages, Magic, Trolls, Winterhold
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-29
Updated: 2016-08-28
Packaged: 2018-08-11 14:10:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7895659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatandKaraForever/pseuds/SkyrimWriter2060
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the Dragonborn, Iliana, gains a Dragon Priest mask, it changes her life forever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Iliana ducked into the barrow in Labrinthian, swinging her sword at the frost troll that was pursuing her. Her sword sliced open the creature's chest with a spray of blood. The troll staggered back and she leapt in, knocking the troll to the ground and delivering a pair of thick stabs through its hide and killing it. She ripped her weapon free and looked around.  
"Ria! Where are you?"  
There was no answer, so Iliana assumed Ria would either catch up or after she finished in the barrow she would go searching for the Companion. She sheathed her sword and walked to the Dragon Priest bust, pulling on the wood mask that transported her back in time to when the barrow was intact. She knelt, removing the masks she had looted off the ones she had killed and placing them on their respective busts. The dragon mouth in the middle of the display of busts opened, revealing a 9th mask. This one was made of what appeared to be gold and had two horns coming off the front. She removed the mask, shoving it in her bag. She then removed the masks that had opened the dragon's mouth, pulling off the wood mask. She was transported back to the present, and she pulled on the new mask. Her back exploded in pain and she growled, falling to her knees. After a moment the pain faded and she subconsciously rose. She looked down at herself to see that she was floating, and then raised one of her hands. Her hand was rotted and gray.

 _By Talos no,_ She thought, _I can't be a Dragon Priest! I need to get this reversed!_

She left the barrow hastily, floating faster than she could usually run. As she came out of the barrow Ria ran towards her, sword in hand. Ria gasped, pulling up short and bringing her blade up into a combat position.

"Stay back foul monster," Ria growled, "Or I will destroy you!"

"Ria! It's me, I'm Iliana," Iliana said, or tried to, but it came out as, "Ria! Nii zu'u, zu'u Iliana!"

Her hands up in a surrendering position Iliana floated slowly towards Ria, but the warrior just attacked, sweeping her blade towards Iliana's armored stomach. Ria's blade bounced off the ensorcelled Nord's armor. Iliana returned the attack, but with an assault designed not to harm Ria.

"Zun haal viik!"

Ria's sword went flying away from her, torn out of her grasp by the sheer force of Iliana's Thu'um. Iliana hurled a ball of green energy at Ria, who stopped moving entirely and fell over. The spell was simply a paralyze spell, so that Iliana would have time to attempt to transform herself back to her normal flame-haired appearance. Wasting no time, Iliana concentrated, willing herself to change back. Her entire body exploded with pain and her vision faded. When it came back, she was on her knees coughing blood into the snow. Wiping the blood off her chin she rose shakily, looking at her hand. It was back to normal. Iliana took a deep breath and moved to Ria's side. As she crouched by her friend, the Imperial sat up slowly, breathing heavily.  
"Are you hurt?"

"No," Ria said warily, "what happened just then? I saw a Dragon Priest, where did it go? It talked to me Iliana. Am I crazy?"

"You're not crazy," Iliana assured her friend, "Did you understand what it said?"

"No," Ria answered, "It was in Thu'um, but I swear I heard my name, and...and yours."

"Ria," Iliana said carefully, "there's something I need to show you. And please, no matter what you see, remember it's just me."

Ria swallowed nervously.

"Ok," she said warily.

Iliana concentrated, and then felt the pain as she shifted. The pain was less than the first couple of times she'd transformed, indicating she would feel less pain every time. Ria involuntarily stepped backwards, recoiling. She dove for her blade, snatching it up and rolling to her feet. She pointed it shakily at Iliana's chest but did not attack this time.

"You're...You're a Dragon Priest? But how? How did you...How are you sometimes completely human?"

Iliana held up one hand and put one of her rotting fingers to her lips. She brought herself back to her human form and spoke breathily.  
"I'm not...I haven't been anyway. I..I got this mask out of that barrow and put it on, and when I did I transformed. I didn't realize then that I could transform back and forth and that's why I came out like that. I'm sorry to have fought you, but if I hadn't done something to protect myself you would have killed me."

"I'm sorry for attacking you," Ria said, "I didn't realize you were the Dragon Priest. I thought you were going to kill me."

"I know. I'm sorry too. I tried to tell you, but I couldn't speak in anything other than Thu'um," Iliana said.

"It's fine. We should go to the College of Winterhold, maybe Tolfdir will know something about this and maybe how to reverse it."


	2. Chapter 2

"Archmage Iliana," J'zargo said as Iliana and Ria approached the bridge, "It's good to see you, how have you been?"  
"I've been well J'zargo," Iliana said, "But I can't talk to you right now, I need to see Tolfdir."  
J'zargo nodded.  
"This one will take you to the Auxiliary Archmage," J'zargo said, "Follow."  
Iliana lowered her head respectfully to the Khajiit and he turned, leading them up to Tolfdir's quarters.  
"Master Tolfdir should be right inside, this one believes," J'zargo said.  
"Thank you," Iliana said, "You may go."  
J'zargo nodded and walked off. Iliana raised a hand and knocked heavily on the enormous iron door.  
"Tolfdir?"  
"Just a moment," Tolfdir called to them.  
Iliana and Ria waited patiently and then the doors swung open with a loud creak. The two women entered.  
"Tolfdir, this is my friend, Ria."  
"It is nice to make your acquaintance," Tolfdir said politely to Ria, "What is it I can do for you, Archmage?"  
"I wanted to ask you some questions about something. Something that has occurred that baffles me and I'm not entirely sure I want it to remain."  
Tolfdir appeared befuddled.  
"Whatever do you mean?"  
"I can't really explain it," Iliana confessed, "I need to show you. And please, remember that it's still me. No matter what you think of what you see it's still me."  
Tolfdir nodded and Iliana shifted. This time it didn't hurt at all, but actually made her feel powerful. Tolfdir recoiled, summoning a spell in each hand. Ria recoiled slightly but moved to prevent Tolfdir from casting.  
"It's just Iliana," Ria assured him, "Trust me, it took me time to accept it too."  
Iliana shifted back and Tolfdir stared.  
"So you what, became a Dragon Priest?"  
"Not exactly," Iliana said, "I'm not sure what exactly happened but I'd like to be human again."  
"I have never heard of this before," the kindly old wizard said, "I don't...I don't know if there is a way to reverse it, but if you can control your transformations you can become a force to be reckoned with, even more than you already were. I mean, imagine the power that now flows through you, you have Dragon Priest abilities AND you have your Dovahkiin powers. What did you do? What gave you this ability?"  
"I put on one of the masks, specifically one that was hidden in a bust in a barrow just outside Labrinthian."  
"Konahriik," Tolfdir breathed, "Of course. I once read in an ancient tome that for a certain person, putting on the mask Konahriik just once would forever grant that person the abilities of a Dragon Priest. I never thought it was true. That would explain why none of the other priests wore it, and why it was hidden away. What I don't understand is why it was Labrinthian that held Konahriik, rather than Sovngarde. Everyone who is overly familiar with ancient Nord culture and lore knows that Nahkriin was the chief Dragon Priest, that's why he was given the task of protecting Alduin's portal to Sovngarde rather than one of the others. That and he was easily the strongest of the priests. Perhaps however...Labrinthian was a larger stronghold than Skuldalfn was, perhaps...perhaps the cult felt more comfortable being able to put MORE forces into the defense rather than less forces who were stronger. And they COULD easily transfer forces between Labrinthian and other locations on the continent."


	3. Chapter 3

Ria felled a bandit swordsman with a quick blow from her sword, turning just in time to deflect a mace blow off her shield, a blow that would have been lethal if she hadn't reacted as quickly as she did. She slammed her shield into the mace-wielding bandit's face, stunning him. She wrapped a thick arm around his throat, pulling him to the ground and stabbing him through the throat. Iliana released a potent blast of electricity that caught a steel-armored bandit square in the chest. He screamed in agony as his skin blackened and steam curled off his form. He collapsed, and Iliana ceased the assault. She cast a ward spell just as an arrow whistled through the air. The arrow bounced off her ward and she fired a blast of electricity into the archer. He went flying backwards, a smoking hole in his chest. She turned just as a bandit brought his hammer down on her chest. Her dragon priest armor stopped the blow but she staggered backwards. Ria came up behind the bandit and sliced his throat in a spray of blood. Having run out of magic, Iliana drew the daggers that were resting on her hips. She lunged at one of the last bandits, slicing at his throat with one blade and stabbing at his chest with the other. He stepped backwards, trying not to run from the terrifying figure. Iliana fired a pulse of energy that paralyzed the bandit and she stabbed her dagger through his throat as he fell backwards. Iliana's ears picked up on hooves beating and she turned. A glittering line of riders approached the bandit camp, and even from the distance away they were Iliana could tell they were from Whiterun. She hurriedly shifted back, rising just as the guards reached the camp.  
"Greetings," she called to the commander, "What brings you here?"  
"We had reports that a Dragon Priest was sighted near here," the commander said, shifting in his saddle, "The Jarl sent us to dispatch the creature. What of you?"  
"We were out exploring," Ria said, "Stumbled on this place figured we'd clear it out."  
"Ma'am, have you seen any Dragon Priests nearby?"  
"No, can't say that I have," Iliana said.  
"Me neither," Ria lied.  
"On our approach one of the guards saw something out of place, magic flying about, a figure who appeared to be floating several feet in the air. A Dragon Priest perhaps?"  
"Sir, I don't think...I don't think there were any. We saw you approach, there was nothing here but us and the bandits," Ria said.  
"Mayhaps one of you is the Dragon Priest? Somehow," one of the riders muttered under his breath.  
"The man makes a good point," the commander said, "Now I have faith that the undead monster is not Ria, I grew up with her, she was my best friend when were kids, before I came to Skyrim, but it's more likely to be your hooded companion. Take off your hood. Now."  
Iliana's transformation hadn't fully finished yet, and her face was on one side still the golden mask of Konahriik.  
"I'm not...I would rather not. I have a...condition. Unless my face is not in the sunlight I cannot see."  
The guard evidently saw through her blatant lie.  
"Hood. Now."  
His hand dropped to the hilt of his blade.  
"Fine."  
Praying to Talos that her face was back to normal, Iliana pulled her hood back.  
"My Thane," the guard said in shock, "I'm sorry ma'am, I didn't realize. You can put your hood back up, if you truly cannot see. Though if you don't mind me asking, what caused your condition?"  
"I got bit by a Draugr while clearing out a ruin, I caught some sort of disease from it."  
The guard nodded as Iliana pulled her hood up.  
"I'm sorry for wasting your time, my thane, lady Ria."  
Iliana nodded.  
"If we see a Dragon Priest, what should we do? Bring it down?"  
"Don't risk your own lives, unless it attacks you simply keep an eye on it and one of you go back to Whiterun and report it."  
They nodded.


End file.
